Running contests is a great way to increase your social media following. However, it can be frustrating to make a contest and not have anyone participate. Use these tips to create a contest that will get many participants.
Choose A Contest Type –
Not all contests are the same. Do you want to do a sweepstakes or a questionnaire? Do you want to learn about your customers or drive sales? A common type of contest is a “Pick a Winner” contest because they are simple, easy to run, and are great for connecting with your customers. To do this contest, ask your fans to interact with your post (like, comment, or share) to get a chance to randomly win a prize. This is an effective way to increase engagement, build loyalty with your followers, and gain new followers. For the best results, choose a contest type that aligns with your social media goals.
Choose A Prize –
Make sure you choose a prize that will excite your target community. For example, if you are a fitness company you may want to give out some workout gear. Gift cards are always a great idea for a prize. They are easy to give away and you can give away gift cards to almost any business. Prepaid gift cards are another popular choice since they can be used anywhere. Try several different prizes to find out which prize gets the most participation.
Make It Easy –
If you are asking your followers to fill out too much information for the contest they may decide it isn’t worth their time. Keep the interactions short and simple, such as asking your followers to like, comment, or share the contest. Make sure the contest is mobile friendly and has clear rules for participating.Schedule your posts consistently so followers have an idea of when to expect your contests. The easier it is for people to enter the contest, the more likely they are to enter and also share the contest with their friends.
Creating contests can be a challenge. Don’t give up if your first contest doesn’t get great results. It takes time for your followers to catch on to your contests. Create a routine so customers know what to expect from your contests. Over time your contests will create customer loyalty and bring new people to your business.
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!